Mauricio Pochettino: Dele Alli gesture vs. Barnsley was a joke with a friend

LONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has said Dele Alli's gesture after scoring against Barnsley in Tuesday's EFL Cup third round was a joke with a friend in the stands.

Alli, 21, appeared to cup his hands behind his ears when celebrating his 65th-minute winner in the 1-0 victory at Wembley, where the attendance was just 23,926 -- under one-third of the stadium's 90,000 capacity.

There had been speculation that the gesture was directed at the low crowd, the media or even Pochettino and his staff.

But Pochettino told a news conference: "It was a situation which was a reference for a friend. It was a gesture for someone in the stand.

"It's not related to us, with the fans, the club -- nothing. It was only a joke with one friend in the stand. That is true, I believe it because yesterday he told me."

Alli is under investigation by FIFA for a gesture in England's World Cup qualifying win over Slovakia at Wembley earlier this month, which he claimed was directed at his friend and former Spurs clubmate Kyle Walker.